Odyssey is for sale

The rumors are true we are selling Odyssey. You can check out the new blog http://kp44-odyssey-forsale.blogspot.com/ with a complete listing of equipment and upgrades.

Hiking in La Paz

One of our last days in La Paz, we walked a few miles from the marina to climb Cerro Atravesado, a little hill on the northeast edge of town that we've visited several times before.

It gives us the classic panoramic view of the city and the bay, as well as a chance to stretch the legs a little on a short, rocky trail.

Marv thinks his "Geezer" walking group in Portland would enjoy the climb!

View from the top. Check it out.

Community Gardens in La Paz

Just a week before we left La Paz, our friends Kay and Steve Terzian (Sea Lady) introduced us to some Bend, Oregon friends who are working and living here. Bill works with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on issues of sustainable development. He and his wife, Terry, in turn introduced us to the La Paz community gardens project. Home gardens have a long, rich history in Mexico and the community gardens project (Sam and Alfredo coordinating it) hopes to reacquaint people with the earth... demonstrating how easy, inexpensive, and healthy it can be to raise some of their own food.

The first garden was developed in November, 2011. It's located at the corner of Manuel Encinas and Guillermo Prieto and has dozens of little garden plots allocated to various individuals or families. Herbs, chard, spinach, lettuce, corn, beans, flowers, tomatoes, beets, onions, and a variety of other fruits and vegetables bring color and texture to the sandy brown soil. Check it out at: jardinencinas

A second garden, Sabores de la Tierra, is located at the end of Nayarit (#41), on the edge of the bay. It shares a space with two large, abandoned cement storage towers and a couple acres of undeveloped land. The plots in this garden seem to belong more to whomever works them...I planted seeds one day, helped with equipment another day and was able to take home an armload of produce.


On Sunday, April 15th, there was a tree-planting event at the third garden, Guamuchil, located on Colegio Militar between Altamirano and Ramirez. This was the first planting, so the dry, dry ground looks so barren compared to what will be coming.

Cactus Sanctuary

On the road south from La Paz, headed toward Los Cabos, there are several old silver and gold mining towns. On the outskirts of one, El Rosario, is a cactus garden/reserve that's worth a visit.

Sponsored by a non-profit, private organization, the garden is an effort to demonstrate what the desert would look like without the assault of development...cattle, goats, and other domesticated animals that destroy the undergrowth and eat cactus.

There has been little intervention, simply fencing off the area has allowed nature to take its course.

Banderas Bay Regatta

She's a beautiful boat, Talion. Ready to take on all challengers in the three day Bay of Banderas Regatta, 2012.

We sailed well, and were in first place for our class as the second day finished.

Overall, at the end of racing, there was a three-way tie for first place, and when the scores were broken down (how many first place finishes, etc.), we were low boat on the totem pole. So Patsy ended up with a third place trophy to add to her collection.

Fishing in Chamela

The sun rises early, the fishermen show up to net bait fish. The bait fish like to gather beneath sailboat hulls.

More than a dozen pangas troll slowly among the anchored boats in Chamela, the Spanish chatter rousing us from sleep.

Humpback Whales in Tenacatita

On Monday, March 5th, 2012, we took the MAX to the airport and flew to La Paz, Baja Sur, Mexico. A week later, we were sailing north from Barra de Navidad (having crossed the Sea of Cortez aboard our friend, Patsy Verhoeven's boat, Talion). The evening we stopped in the bay of Tenacatita, I kayaked around the fleet that was anchored there and was blown away by the antics of a mother whale and her baby playing just outside the anchorage. Jeff on Journey shared the photos he took with the rest of us.

The whales spent more than half an hour, slowing making their way from the inner bay out to sea, breaching all the way!